How do you make sure your property is secure?

[Quincy]

Hello everyone, 

As our world evolves and technology becomes more embedded in our lives, many of us use it to make our lives easier and safer.  

For example, from the click of a button, we're able to see whether our guests have checked in depending on which safety measures you use (e.g. smart lock). Perhaps, you might even already have received a notification on your phone informing you of this! 

In my neighbourhood, I've noticed the popularity of doorbell cameras. Surely, having such a device fitted will bring some form of safety and convenience, as some doorbell cameras enable you to communicate through them when you’re not at home! However, whilst having technology is great, I understand that sometimes technology can't always be applied to a home. 

What do you have in place to keep your home secure, and which tips would you share with fellow Hosts? 

I look forward to reading your comments.

Quincy 

[Helen744]

@Debra300 . Could you please  expand on that idea Debra about access  H

[Helen744]

Also Richard those of us who do their own cleaning require downtime , Not sure that I would take 'any price ' to get a booking especially at the moment where it could just be heart breaking H 

[Debra300]

@Helen744,

In regards to @Richard531's well thought list, I am saying that in order to maintain a 99% occupancy level a rental needs to be in a location where it's easy for guests to reach in addition to being in a high demand destination.  This is especially true if the rental has a limited domestic market where guests can drive or walk-in to it.

For example, most of our guests must take an international flight or ferry to the island to get to our St. Lucia guesthouse.  This usually requires a lot of advance planning to make travel reservations, and get passports or insure they are valid.  One bonus is that only unvaccinated guests and small children need to arrange for pre-arrival COVID testing.  If a guest is a last minute no-show, in most situations the space will not get rebooked for the same period even if we were to reduce the rate.

On the other hand, everyone who travels to the US, regardless of vaccination status, must get a COVID test.  This may impact travel from foreign visitors, but our Atlanta apartment rarely has unwanted vacancies, because our market is adult US residents.  There are several different modes of domestic travel readily available at short notice, and there hasn't ever been a COVID testing requirement for domestic travel.  Our place caters to long-term stays, but we usually received bookings within a few hours or one day when we opened the calendar to fill gaps.

[Helen744]

@Debra300 at the moment Debra I think the high price of fuel is contributing to a lack of guests . Certainly here where people are virtually forced to drive, as we are a regional city,and most of our guests come from about 100kms away from a major city. Little other transport is practical but I am sure looking at your beautiful place on the island that people would be falling all over themselves to book and think themselves pretty lucky if they did. Its breathtaking lovely . Much like Freds place on the island . How special  H

[Quincy]

I was wondering the same as @Emilia42. Thank you for sharing a detailed explanation @Richard531! 😃

[Helen744]

@Quincy this is always an issue which requires due diligance. sometimes keys go missing so locks have to be changed . houses need to be monitored in down times and using those times for maintenance and extra care is probably the best idea. some people looking to burgle homes do target Airbnbs so the checking of all windows and doors every time you are cleaning or after a guest leaves is vital . Leaving the house for periods of time in between bookings during covid ,and not entering as soon as possible after guests leave  has been hazardous and nerve wracking.It is important to ask all guests to check the house is locked as they leave and to run each guest through how the doors are keyed and about opening and locking windows and unlike Mike -and-Jane not to become known for having a key under a flower pot.This is probably the minimum of issues outside burglary so I think just checking that all windows and doors continue to be safe and security lights work and to check the house and if it is empty to not just leave all the blinds down but give the impression someone is there by changing the blinds and curtains or leaving an internal light on or actually staying over yourself randomly . H

[Quincy]

Great tips @Helen744! I was living on a ground floor property, and I was kind of paranoid of one day finding it broken into. Especially, when going on holidays. 

I was using a timer that would switch some lights on in the house. However, I would most of the time just make sure the property is booked when I'd be on holidays 😃. 

My cousin, who was my co-host at the time, would ensure everything went well regarding the check-in. 

[Robin4]

@Quincy 

We have the greatest security device known to mankind. It never fails, nothing gets passed it undetected. Not only does it warn of impending trouble, it scares that impending trouble away!

It's our Aussie Shepherd dog Betts......

She is on duty 24 hours a day and the second anyone arrives on the property she lets out a howl that would wake the dead. 

here is what I say to guests to warn them in my welcome message......

She is the loveliest gentle creature but, she is a shepherd.....she needs to alert the farmer when there is an intruder in the flock.

Although we live in a very crime free area where security is not a really high priority and many nights I do not even bother to lock the car.....some nights I have even left my wallet on the seat (not intentionally) but we feel secure that if there was a potential security risk, Betts would take care of it without us having to lift a finger.

Cheers........Rob

[Quincy]

She's absolutely lovely @Robin4 ❤️! I'm sure she's a great security device, haha! Hope all is well! 

[Ruth413]

@Quincy  Rob is spot on.  For us our best deterrent is a Black Lab called Gordie.  He is the softest creature going but can look quite daunting.  He doesn't have Betts intuition for guarding, but I know his alarm bark (it is normally a deer strolling into the garden though).  He also think that all our guests are here just to see him.  He is rather special. 

[Robin4]

@Ruth413 

I know this is not the intent of @Quincy 's thread and we are getting off topic, but I want to tell it!

Yeah Ruth, Betts just loves guests because, guests mean food treats and pats. She's totally non-judgmental, she accepts every human  as a new friend. She sits at the front gate and waits for the next guests to arrive......

But because of her welcoming bark I need to forewarn incoming guests that she  will go into alarm mode as soon as she hears a car door shut out the front.

 But some guests are afraid of dogs and are hesitant on arriving so, I have to give them good warning on my listing page and welcome message.

The thing about a dog that an electronic device can never do.....they are adaptive, they asses situations, sometimes with amazing consequences.

We had a one week booking from Nick and Hannah from London back in 2016. In his booking message he said his only reservation was, Hannah had been bitten by a dog as a youngster and had a life long canine fear. I told him I had a family member living 1.5 Kms away from here, I was quite happy to take Betts over there for the week but, Nick said, "Well lets see how we go", he explained the situation to Hannah and they were prepared to 'test the water' as it were.

The strangest thing happened Ruth....when Nick and Hannah arrived Betts just sat at the back door, wagged her tail but did not make a sound and did not rush to greet them as she would other guests!

What sort of sense do animals have that enables them to do something like that?

On the third afternoon of their stay we were all sitting around an outside table and Betts came up and just sat between Hannah and Ade, just sat there. After a while Hannah pushed a biscuit across and off the table which Betts gobbled up, that was it, nothing further.

On Thursday afternoon Hannah asked if she could come out with me while I threw the ball for Betts to retrieve as I do every afternoon. Hannah threw the ball a few times and Betts bought it back to her feet each time.....a definite bond was forming.

When they left on Saturday Hannah gave Betts a pat and said her personal goodbye to Betts.

Here was the review that Nick left for their stay........

This dog is a solution to every problem....

She is a faithful companion.

She is an intruder alarm.

She creates affection.

And she is a wonderful psychologist.

Cheers........Rob

[Ruth413]

@Robin4 What an amazing and lovely story.   I am always grateful to share our lives with our four legged waggy friends.  They create so much joy and with Gordie especially laughter.  He is definitely all looks and no brains and does some of the most idiotic things but always with love. 

[Quincy]

@Ruth413 He's so lovely! ❤️

[Ruth413]

@Quincy All looks and no brains I am afraid. But yes lovely and loving !

[John5097]

I just use a smart lock. Each guest has their own door code. I'm not worried about guest returning to steal something, but at least once a guest, nice lady, had their dates mixed up. I noticed it in the communication right after booking so wasn't a problem. 

I send door code, check in/out time, and instructions, all in the first message. That way its handy for them to find, first message, and it makes it all clear so don't have guest asking for early check in.  

I live at the same property so I prefer not to have cameras. I noticed they all have the ability to communicate through them, and all have ability to record to cloud. If I had one it would just be to go back and prove what may or may not have happened, even with neighbors, but so far don't even need one. 

The only thing I find really creepy is that Airbnb allows host to have cameras inside. In this day and age cameras at entrance and parking should be normalized, they all can record, that's the entire point, but generally only save to cloud for 7-30 days, but don't see any point in allowing them inside, except maybe in common areas in shared homes, although that even seems unnecessary.